Top 10 waiver-wire pickups for Week 9 in your fantasy football league

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With Week 8 of the NFL season nearly in the books, it's time for fantasy football managers to get ready to make their waiver claims.

Many NFL teams have reached their halfway point of the season, making it a perfect time to change your perception of the early underachievers and overachievers.

For example, the New York Jets sit at 3-5 with one of the top 20 offenses in the league, but several of their most active players remain woefully under-owned. Taking advantage of these market inefficiencies could be the key to your championship hopes.

Week 8 wasn't a particularly big one for injuries, but as six more teams are on bye this week, your league should see a flurry of transactions.

Alex Collins, RB

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Team: Baltimore Ravens

Week 8 stats: 113 rushing yards, 30 receiving yards, two receptions

One thing to know: It looks as if those Irish dance lessons are paying off. Two months after being cut by Seattle and signing to the Ravens' practice squad, Collins is having a terrific season for a team with legitimate playoff aspirations. The former fifth-round pick leads the NFL in yards per rushing attempt.

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Robby Anderson, WR

One thing to know: On Sunday, Anderson posted his second game with at least 90 yards and a touchdown, but the Temple product was nevertheless owned by just 28% of Yahoo fantasy managers. After pulling in all six of his targets, he'll be a much more popular option this week.

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Matt Forte, RB

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Team: New York Jets

Week 8 stats: 7 rushing yards, 45 receiving yards, six receptions

One thing to know: While Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire have taken over the Jets' ground game, Forte has carved out a niche as their primary receiving back. He has produced in the double digits for three consecutive games, making him a relatively safe pickup.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

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Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 8 stats: 193 receiving yards, seven receptions, one touchdown

One thing to know: At last, Smith-Schuster is showcasing the kind of talent that led the Steelers to take him in the second round of this year's draft. Sunday saw him nearly triple his previous career-best yardage total, while the touchdown, his fourth of the season, was par for the course in Pittsburgh's efficient offense.

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Paul Richardson, WR

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Team: Seattle Seahawks

Week 8 stats: 105 receiving yards, six receptions, two touchdowns

One thing to know: Richardson is one of Russell Wilson's favorite deep threats, and both men are heating up as we head into the second half of the season. The wideout caught a pair of passes in the end zone, his fourth and fifth of the year, in a thrilling 41-38 win over the Houston Texans. Seattle's upcoming schedule — Washington, Arizona, Atlanta, and San Francisco — looks favorable enough.

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Jack Doyle, TE

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Team: Indianapolis Colts

Week 8 stats: 121 receiving yards, 12 receptions, one touchdown

One thing to know: Doyle had the game of his life on Sunday, catching 12 of 14 targets for the highest yardage of his career in a narrow loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. His expected workload makes him a viable option for Week 9, especially against the Texans' subpar defense.

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Josh McCown, QB

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Team: New York Jets

Week 8 stats: 257 passing yards, two touchdowns

One thing to know: McCown got a plug in last week's version of this feature, but with just 25% of Yahoo managers owning him during Week 8, he's the top waiver-wire option once again. The veteran has accumulated more fantasy value than several marquee names, including Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger.

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Matt Breida, RB

One thing to know: Starting back Carlos Hyde never got it going last Sunday, but Breida did his best to pick up the slack, pacing the 49ers in receiving while catching their only touchdown of the day. Pierre Garcon may be sidelined from this week's game against Arizona, which could mean even more touches for the rookie.

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Blair Walsh, K

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Team: Seattle Seahawks

Week 8 stats: 2/2 field goals, 5/5 extra points

One thing to know: The Seahawks offense is firing on all cylinders, and with the Washington Redskins on the horizon, they may be headed for another shootout. Walsh hasn't missed a field goal since Week 4.

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Detroit Lions, DEF

One thing to know: The Lions held the Steelers to just 20 points on Sunday night, and their Week 9 opponents, the Green Bay Packers, have an inexperienced signal caller and will be coming off a bye. After that, they face the Cleveland Browns, a potential boon for any defense.

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